In the right conditions paddling on the Thompson Rivers is great in March. On this mid-March day, there was no wind and blue skies. I paddled west from Pioneer Park, going under the Red Bridge, then the Black (CN) Bridge before passing through the Confluence. The river is quite low at this time of year and there are gravel bars …Continue reading…
As the air temperatures drop so does the water temperature in the rivers, but more slowly. The water in the river is still okay for paddling in November, but we wait for a mild day with no wind. I paddled upstream for a couple of kilometers getting a good workout, then turned around an enjoy a more leisurely paddle downstream. …Continue reading…
We try to get our kayaks in the water in the river as soon as enough ice and snow melts to allow us easy access to launch and land. Our first choice is Pioneer Park. In early March when the gate to the boat launch is still locked, we have to transport our kayaks on wheels down to the river …Continue reading…
I hiked the trails (and some bushwhacking) of Mission Flats Park and walked along the shores of the Thompson River across from the airport. I ran into 3 bald eagles along the route:
Silt cliffs rise over both sides of the South Thompson River from Dallas through to Valleyview. These features are the remnants of glacial lakes formed 10 000 to 13000 years ago. The rivers backed up to form long ribbon-like lakes that backed up the valley. As the lakes filled, silts and sediments were deposited on the lake floor each summer. …Continue reading…
Even though snows still linger, we can start paddling on the river. Although the Pioneer Park boat launch is still closed, we can get our boat down to the river with a little extra work. Since the water is cold, we used a wetsuit and stayed close to the shoreline. The south-facing shoreline was clear of snow but the north-facing …Continue reading…
Thompson Rivers Interior Paddling Society (TRIPS) has been around for a number of years and has organized group paddling (canoeing, kayaking, and SUP) on our rivers and lakes, but has also organized Learn to Paddle Courses, safety and Rescue, and paddling competitions. Recently we built them a new website, which is still not fully complete, but interested paddlers can still …Continue reading…
By October it is rare to see another boat on either the South or North Thompson Rivers. The boat launches remain open but we are more likely to see dog walkers than power boats. We continue to launch our kayak onto the river to paddle various routes on the river. Downstream is always easier but requires vehicle support so most …Continue reading…
Now that the busy time on the rivers is over, I have returned to paddle both rivers. On these days in October and November it is rare to see anyone else in a boat. Today I paddled down the river to the Confluence, then up the North Thompson and back down then upstream again. The water does not get as …Continue reading…
Every spring we paddle down the South Thompson River in 21 km outings. From the Lafarge Bridge (NE side) we launched our kayaks and enjoyed a 3 hour flatwater paddle from Lafarge to Pioneer Park. Using a two vehicle system, we started paddling about 9:30 am and landed at the boat launch at Pioneer by 12:30. One of the keys …Continue reading…
Each spring we try to paddle downriver using 2 vehicles to shuttle our kayaks. On the South Thompson river we have 4 days of paddling: Chase to Pritchard (21 km) Pritchard to Lafarge (21 km) Lafarge to Pioneer Park (21 km) Valleyview to Cooney Bay On the North Thompson river, we have 4 days of paddling too: Clearwater to Little …Continue reading…
tIn spring we start our paddling season on the South Thompson and North Thompson Rivers. The best launch is from Pioneer Park, but we also go to other launch sites to paddle different parts of the rivers. With Valleyview Boat Launch closed for bank repairs, we went out to the Lafarge Bridge beach and paddled upstream in early April. There …Continue reading…
Paddling upstream is always a good workout and part of a spring fitness program, getting ready for longer paddling adventures on the bigger lakes, the rivers, and the ocean in the summer. One route we do every spring is to go up the North Thompson River, which is a bit harder than the South Thompson River. I launched at Pioneer …Continue reading…
The Valleview Boat Launch is closed while the City reinforces the bank for the 3 homes to the east of the ramp. I was there today and opted to go out to Lafarge instead.
On two recent paddling outings the noise levels were quite different. When we paddled downriver, there were the usual highway and railroad noises as we paddled from Lafarge to Kamloops. When the trains weren’t running it was relatively peaceful. As we approached Kamloops and the morning started to wane, the power boat and personal water craft crews started to emerge. …Continue reading…
In the last few years we have been able to get the kayak onto the South Thompson River in February. In 2015, it was Feb. 24 and in 2016 it was Feb. 29. If the ice doesn’t clear until later, we will have to wait until we get back from hiking in the Death Valley area. To paddle early we …Continue reading…